Pineapple Sausage Meatballs

If you slow-cook meatballs in sauce for longer than 3 hours, you run the risk that they’ll break apart and become a part of the sauce. Serve this dish over cooked rice.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple packed in juice, drained
• ¼ cup dried minced onion
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 cups barbecue sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• Optional: Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy Seasoning Blend, to taste
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 pound lean ground pork
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 ½ cups quick-cooking oatmeal
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley

1. Add the drained crushed pineapple, dried onion, ketchup, 1 cup of the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, chili powder, and Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy Seasoning Blend, if using, to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low while you make the meatballs.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Add the remaining cup of barbecue sauce, ground beef, ground pork, egg, diced onion, salt and pepper, oatmeal, and parsley to a large bowl; use hands to mix. Form into twenty-four meatballs. Place on a baking sheet; bake for 10 minutes or until browned on the outside but still rare on the inside.
3. Add the browned meatballs to the sauce. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours.